Andy Pettitte is a free agent and has consistently maintained that he wants to pitch for the Yankees in 2009, especially now that they are moving into the new stadium. But, while the Yankees know Pettitte wants to return and have also said they want him back in the Bronx, the team has not budged from its thought that Pettitte is not a $16 million a year pitcher.

The Yankees are in pursuit of all the available front of the rotation type free agent pitchers, willing to give more years and more money to one (CC Sabathia), but less money and lesser years for others (AJ Burnett, Derek Lowe, Ben Sheets). But, the Yankees view Pettitte as a back end guy (if they even need him at all) and are not willing to give him the one year contract for the money he desires.

However, the Yankees are caught in a tough position as Pettitte is now on the Dodgers radar. After Chad Billingsley broke his leg, Lowe walks via free agency and the uncertainty of Jason Schmidt’s shoulder, the Dodgers desperately need a veteran pitcher in their rotation. They are left with 20 year old Clayton Kershaw, 33 year old Hideki Kuroda and Billingsley. On my weekly radio show with Kevin Williams (www.wobmam.com), I spoke of Pettitte to the Dodgers as far back as mid-October, and wrote about it in early November. They are a great fit, especially with the positive relationship Pettitte has with Joe Torre.

The Yankees would love to have Pettitte sign with the Dodgers, take the two draft picks and move on. But, they need to offer him arbitration in order to get the two picks, and that is only if the Dodgers don’t sign another Type A free agent first. A team can not lose two first round picks in one season. If the Dodgers sign Sabathia first, then sign Pettitte, Milwaukee will get the Dodgers 2009 first round pick and the Yankees would get the Dodgers second round pick instead, plus the supplemental pick.

But, Pettitte might be waiting for the Yankees to offer arbitration, then accept their offer - and getting his desired one season $16 million salary (which the Yankees don’t want to give). Pettitte just might accept, getting what he wants by pitching in the New Yankee Stadium and making great money - for a back end of the rotation guy who really in’t that good anymore.

That is why the Yanks are in a tough spot; they need to offer arbitration to get the draft picks, but could have Pettitte at the salary they are unwilling to give. But, if the Yankees are not able to land any of the Big 3 in Sabathia, Burnett and Lowe, and Sheets is always a question mark in regards to health, would they need Pettitte? They need to offer arbitration by December 7th, the beginning of the Winter Meetings, and the Yankees will probably not know their status on the free agent pitchers yet.

I personally feel the Yankees do not need Pettitte, that he is on the decline and doesn’t have the same bite on his reknowned cut fastball. The Yankees are interested in Sabathia and Lowe because they were dominant #1starters down the stretch, helping their teams into the playoffs. But, Pettitte was the exact opposite of Sabathia and Lowe, was terrible down the stretch, fashioning a 2-7 with a 6.23 ERA in his final 11 starts. So, if you were Brian Cashman, the reason you like Sabathia and Lowe should be the reason you DON’T LIKE Pettitte - he was terrible when it counted most.

The Yankees do not want to give Pettitte similar money as last year, knowing he is on the decline and is, at best in 2009, going to be a fifth starter. But, the Yankees need to offer arbitration, and hope that the Dodgers’ need for a veteran starter is too much and they offer Pettitte a two year deal for good money. But, if Pettitte does accept arbitration, seek to trade him and possibly Johnny Damon (because LA could also use a leadoff hitter) to the Dodgers (who also need that veteran starter) for a young player or two. If that happens, I like Matt Kemp and James McDonald.